Federica Pellegrini: Olympic Stud of the Day

In one of the brief moments where Michael Phelps wasn’t dominating the Olympic pool, Italian swimmer Federica Pellegrini not only clinched the gold medal in the women’s 200m freestyle but also broke her own world record, set at the European championships earlier this year. Federica’s gold-medal win edged out American favorite and recurring fourth-place finisher Katie Hoff.

When Pellegrini isn’t smashing world records, the 20-year-old swimming phenom is also an Italian cover girl. If you’re still not convinced of Federica’s blend of athleticism and total hottie status, check out the video embedded after the jump (and featuring a song by Anastacia).

Now it’s your turn! Nominate your own Olympic Stud of the Day* — or second ours — below. (Then click here to check out our winning Studs from the last few days in Beijing.)